


Misfits

by imgilmoregirl



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Curse AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2019-03-16 00:27:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13624677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imgilmoregirl/pseuds/imgilmoregirl
Summary: They were just a bunch of misfits in this world, with nothing in common, but a fate that gathered them all together, for some reason. Mr. Gold was the town’s most feared man, and Belle French only one of his tenants, until one day she is fired and, having a son to look after, she offers herself to be his caretaker.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Once Upon A Time or any of the characters and storylines in the show. This is just a fanwork made for fun. 
> 
> Hello, my dears! I wasn't going to post it just now because I have two WIPs to finish before I got to be carried on my another, but I've written this experimental first chapter out of my best mood, so I'm publishing and I really hope you enjoy it. I'll start with updates when I'm finished with The Parent Trap, which will probably will only take another couple of weeks. But this is one of the plots I've asked you guys to choose from and it was really exciting to write.

Moving away from Storybrooke was the dream of Belle French’s life. She had never felt home there, never understood why everybody always looked so miserably unhappy and were usually so incredibly mean with each other, but she didn’t make much money working at the public library and everything she received was taken by the rent, the monthly bills and of course, to the cares of her son. The six-months-old baby, Gideon, was her whole world, the only joy of her days.

Belle was a single mother, as her ex-boyfriend, Gaston, had fled away from town just a couple of days after she told him she was pregnant. It was the moment when her life turned upside-down and she found herself living in Storybrooke’s smallest flat, as her father had thrown her out at the news about the baby, saying he wasn’t going to encourage her to make a mistake and have that child. It seemed nobody wanted to have nothing to do with her after she got pregnant, but Belle wasn’t a fool, she could manage to take care of herself.

Her neighbour, Ashley, who was in the very same situation as her, about to give birth, was her only salvation after her maternity leave ended and she eventually had to go back to work. Belle payed for her to watch Gideon while she was at the library and the two of them helped each other.

She though the worse days of her life had already passed, until the day Regina Mills walked inside the library, showing her the papers that stated it was going to be closed to cut costs and help the town raise funds to fix the toll’s bridge. It was like a hole had been opened under her feet, making her fall into the deep infinity darkness. Belle had no job anymore, which meant she had no money to pay for her bills or to bring food home. She was lost. She would have no resources to take care of her poor baby boy anymore and she had no idea of what to do.

That night, when she arrived home and picked Gideon at Ashley’s apartment, she payed her for the time she had spent with the boy that month and said she had no idea when she was going to be able to find another job again, so her services wouldn’t be needed for a while. Then, she went back home, took a long shower, nursed Gideon and then cradled him close to her chest, singing a lullaby as he stared at her face with those smart brown eyes of his. He was probably wondering why his face was being bathed with tears and why she looked so sad.

The truth was that Belle felt terrified, because that job at the library was what had kept them alive ever since she left her father’s house. Without it, she had nothing and she feared somebody could take her baby from her, claiming the girl to not be a good mother nor have conditions to take care of him. But she couldn’t let his happen, so in the next morning, decided to give up so easily, Belle took Gideon in her arms and went to her favourite diner, Granny’s.

It belonged to be of her only friends’ grandmother and she hoped Ruby was willing to help her to get at least a weekly shift so she could at least pay for the rent – because everybody knew Mr. Gold was no kind man, and he didn’t use to be complacent with his tenants’ delays, and she needed a roof above her head after all. Belle swung the diner’s door opened and went to the counter where her friend was serving some coffee to a woman called Katryn Nolan.

“Ruby, hi,” she started with a grin. “I came here to ask you a favour.”

“If you want me to watch your little giggling thing, I’m busy for the rest of the week.”

She didn’t know when Ruby had become so cold with her, but she supposed it had something to do with the pregnancy, as most of her issues with people, but still she had been the only one to offer her some iced tea and a shoulder to cry when her father expelled her from home, so she supposed they were still in a good place. Or at least, the best place she could get lately.

“It has nothing to do with Gideon,” the brunette remarked. “Madam Mayor, Regina Mills is closing the library and I need another job. Could you get a shift here for me? I could do anything, even cleaning the bathrooms.”

Looking up at her, Ruby arched an eyebrow, analysing Belle carefully. Her eyes were reddish and swollen which indicated she had been crying, she looked way too skinny for someone who had given birth no more than six months ago and the baby, Gideon was tugging at her hair, which she didn’t seem to be even noticing as she stared at her with despair clear in her face.

“I’m sorry, Belle. I really wished I could help, but Granny just hired another girl last week.”

Belle nodded, feeling the tears blurring her vision once more. She needed to accept she was fated to failure and she really would’ve if she didn’t have Gideon to care about.

“Guess I’m going to have to beg Mr. Gold to delay my payment for a couple of weeks,” she sniffled. “Maybe he doesn’t turn me into a toad.”

Ruby tightened her lips, but said nothing, so Belle turned her back to her and marched out of the diner, caressing the back of Gideon’s head frenetically. She hated to face Mr. Gold. Truth be told, he frightened her, but she needed to at least try or beg for a bartender job at The Rabbit Hole, a bar near her flat, but she wasn’t much confident in her skills at making drinks, so she crossed the street and headed to the pawnshop, telling herself he wasn’t a complete monster, and that he seemed rather decent when he was around his fourteen-year-old son, Neal.

Belle was just about to enter, when she saw the blonde little girl approaching her with a frown on her face, her school uniform all crumpled and the tie on her hair settled in a weird angle. Every single time she saw that girl, she felt a sudden need to do something for her, because she seemed as lost and lonely as her.

“Miss Belle, why didn’t you open the library today?” Tilly asked, blinking her bright blue eyes at her.

“I’m sorry, darling, the mayor is closing it.”

Her lower lip trembled and she looked away. Tilly was a ten-year-old orphaned girl who lived at the orphanage near the docks. She was always hanging around the library, looking for adventure books and sometimes she ran away and was found in street corners, sleeping on the floor, using her backpack as a pillow. It was sad to see her only distraction been taken away from her, but couldn’t do anything about it. Her hopes and dreams died with the closure of the library too.

“I can’t believe she is doing it,” Tilly murmured. “Why not closing the school?”

“Be thankful you still have such a fun place to go,” Belle chuckled. “I need to take care of somethings. See you around?”

“Yeah. Bye Miss Belle.”

Tilly made her way down the street to where the school was set and Belle watched her for a moment before gathering the needed courage and opening the pawnbroker’s door to enter it. The bell jingled and Gideon laughed at the sound, looking around with curious eyes. The shop was just like Belle remembered from the few times she had been there, but out of what she expected, there was no one around. Well, at least until she curtains were pushed aside and Mr. Gold passed through them, leaning on his cane for support.

“Miss French, I didn’t expect to see you until next week. It is not rent time yet.”

“I came here to talk just about it,” Belle said, walking towards him with a little bit of hesitation, holding her son closer, so the warmth of his little body against her heart could bring her some calmness.

She was there for him, Belle reminded herself. It was all for Gideon, for him to have a better life than hers. She might be a loser, abandoned by everyone she ever loved and stuck in this town forever, but he would have a brilliant future, he would be a scholar, go to a decent university and travel around the world. He would have what she hasn’t. And Belle would do anything to guarantee that.

“If, just like the nuns, you think the rent’s value need to be lowered, then I’m afraid I need to tell you this is not happening,” Mr. Gold immediately replied.

“That’s not what I want,” Belle affirmed. “You must know Regina is closing the library, so I’m jobless and I don’t have the money for the rent now and nor am I going to have it next week.”

“Ah, yes, now I see the issue. What do you think I should do about it, Ms. French?”

Inhaling deeply Belle changed the weight of Gideon’s body from one arm to the other, while the pawnbroker watched her carefully, his eyes, warm and brown just like her son’s, following the child as he turned his head to look down at the glass counter, happily clapping his hands together at the sight of all the interesting things kept there.

“I just want more time, nothing else,” she begged. “I will find another job, but I can’t be homeless while I don’t. I have a child to look after.”

“Yes, I can see it,” Gold murmured, tracing the ends of the counter with his index finger. “But, I have a reputation to keep, Ms. French, and as much as I’d like to help you and your son, people will start to think they can delay my payment whenever they want if I allow you to do so.”

The tears came back to her eyes and the last thing Belle needed in that moment was to start crying in front of Mr. Gold. If she did so, then she would lose all the dignity she still had. Instead, she lifted her chin and gave another dangerous step into his direction, making Gideon turn his attention to the man in front of them, staring with wide eyes.

“Listen, I’ve never delayed one payment in my life. I would be just for this once. I have no option and I fear if I’m thrown out then my baby will end up in the orphanage like that poor girl, Tilly, and all those other kids.”

He laid eyes on the baby in her arms, watching as Gideon laid his head against her shoulder, bringing his thumb to his mouth and starting to suck at it. Mr. Gold wasn’t as cruel as people thought him to be, deep down he had a heart and children were his weakness. He had a son himself and if he was in Belle’s position he knew he would’ve come there to beg just like she was doing and not because of himself, but because of the child. Because of the fear of losing it.

“I can’t accept a delay in my payment,” he started, slowly. “But I can offer you a solution, Ms. French.”

“A solution?”

Nodding very slightly, he opened a drawer and took a visit card from inside there, playing with it between his fingers as he spoke.

“Aye,” he confirmed. “I’m in need of a caretaker for my large state. A have a huge home and no time to clean, so if you agree you can work for me in exchange for a generous payment. I just have one condition.”

Belle breathed in. _There it was._ She knew nothing could come free this way, but she found herself unable to deny anything he asked for, even if that meant she would need to do something humiliating. If it was to keep her son safe, then she was willing to give anything, be anything.

“What is it?”

“I want you to live in my house,” Mr. Gold answered. “As I said, I have a huge property with many rooms and I wish you to take one instead of throwing your money away and paying for the rent of that miserably small flat you’re living on.”

Her mouth fell open. She had expected him to ask for anything, even for a night with her, but not this.

“But what about Gideon?” Belle inquired. “My son?”

“He’ll be welcomed as well.”

Glance falling down to her baby boy’s face, she touched his cheek tenderly. It was the best offer she would probably ever get and if she didn’t have to pay for the rent, then she could save money for a future very far away from there. Maybe she could go to New York someday and give her son a better life.

“Then I accept,” the brunette said. “I’ll live with you and become your caretaker.”

“Good,” Mr. Gold gave her a little smirk, handing her the car he had been holding and she took a quick look at it. “This is my address. I hope to see you tonight. We always have dinner at seven o’clock and I also want you to join me and my son every single day for this meal, so don’t be late.”

She waved her head positively and murmured a thanks to him before turning around and leaving the shop. Belle had to pack things now, because a new life waited for her and she hoped, soon, the freedom she always wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I'm so sorry if there is anything wrong with my writing, English is not my first language.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle moves into Gold's house.

At this point, Belle thought she was supposed to be used to feel lonely, but as she packed her thinks while Gideon slept quietly in his crib, her hands started to get shaken and the tears started to fall from her eyes, because she found herself so alone in this life, that she had just accepted to move into her landlord’s home and become his caretaker, as she couldn’t manage to pay for the rent anymore. Not that it was such a big deal, but if people already avoided her and speak bad of her behind her back, they would have a lot more to talk about now that she would be living with the town’s most feared man.

But Gideon’s well-being came over her pride, so she finished packing and walked to Gold’s house. It was the biggest one in town, a real mansion and she felt tired just to think about the long hours she would have to spent cleaning it as she was pretty sure Mr. Gold wouldn’t tolerate seeing a bit of dust anywhere. She stopped by the doorway and knocked, swinging Gideon gently in her arms, praying he wouldn’t wake so soon.

The door was opened by the landlord, who was still dressed in the same three-piece suit he had been wearing that morning. For a brief second, he laid eyes on the baby in her arms, but then, he looked up and gesticulated for her to come in without saying a word. Belle stood there uncomfortably looking down at the floor without knowing what to do.

“I won’t bite you Ms. French,” he started. “Please come along, I’ll give you a tour of the house.”

Nodding, she followed him through the hallway to the amazing living room, them to another space which could have easily been a ballroom. The place was huge and she had to contain her gasps every time they entered a new space, but when she climbed up the stairs, with Mr. Gold leading the way, she felt like she couldn’t be surprised anymore.

“I’ve set a room for you and the child,” the landlord said. “I hope you don’t mind, but I still had Neal’s old crib in my attic and I set it there for you. It was cleaned, of course.”

“Oh, thank you,” she whispered. “It is very nice of you.”

His expression became blank again as he pushed open the door of the last room in the hallway after pointing all the other rooms for her and quickly indicating what they here. Belle peeked a look inside over his shoulder and her eyes widened at the sight of the large windows and the beautiful wooden furniture that filled the room. She never before had a bedroom like this one. Not in her father’s house and certainly not in her tiny horrible flat.

“You’ll find a list with your duties on your desk,” Mr. Gold told her. “And inside the second drawer of the dresser there is a baby monitor, so you can always keep an eye at your son while you’re downstairs. Ah, the bouncer and the stroller will arrive tomorrow.”

“You bought things for my child?” She asked astonished.

Belle wasn’t used to people being generous with her and she knew most of the time people wanted something from her when they made those gestures, so she started to wonder what exactly Mr. Gold might be expecting her to do there other than cleaning the house and it made a lump appear on her throat.

“I guessed you wouldn’t have the needed equipment to keep him entertained while you did your duties and it is very important to me that you pay for your stay.”

“Of course,” Belle nodded. “Thank you, anyway.”

She walked inside the bedroom, dropping her bags on the floor and placing Gideon inside the crib, before she opened the backpack she brought with his things and took a blue blanket from inside there, covering the baby with it. Belle could still feel Mr. Gold’s silent presence behind her and she delayed as much as she could, before turning around to face him again.

“Do you need me to start with something tonight?”

“No,” Mr. Gold shook his head. “But I want you to attend dinner. Turn on the baby monitor and meet me in the dining room.”

He disappeared in the end of the hallway and Belle closed her door, settling the baby monitor in place and changing clothes, because she would feel weird to seat in Mr. Gold’s dining room wearing raggedy jeans and an old coat while he was all fancy clothes. Of course, most of the dresses she had were second-handed or from the cheapest stores in town, but Belle chose the best one she had, a lacy blue one and checked on Gideon one last time before she made her way downstairs.

She almost got lost at first, entering the ballroom, before she realised her mistake and turned back walking inside to see a whole banquet was already served and Gold was waiting for her alongside with a boy. His son. Neal. Belle hold onto a breath as she walked towards them, smiling with a little bit of uncertainty.

“Sit down and serve yourself, dearie,” Gold commanded and then pointed at Neal with a swift movement of his chin. “This is my boy.”

“Hello,” she greeted him.

“Hello, Ms. French. It is nice to know you’ll be working for us,” the boy answered and she thought he looked way nicer than his father, which made the rumours about him being all mean and despicable very stupid, but Storybrooke wasn’t fair with anyone. “Papa said you brought a baby.”

Taking a seat in front of Neal, Belle nodded, starting to fill her plate with vegetables and meat, feeling her mouth water at the sight of all that food. It had been weeks since she last had a proper meal and Belle felt starving.

“Yeah, my son, Gideon,” she confirmed. “I hope you don’t mind having around.”

“Of course, not. I’ve always wanted a little brother or sister so it will be nice to see a child, cheering things around here.”

A genuine smile took her lips as Belle concluded she definitely liked Gold’s son, but as soon as he adverted his gaze back to his plate, Belle did the same, savouring every bit of her food as she payed solemn attention to the baby monitor, worried Gideon would wake and she wouldn’t be there to soothe him if he cried. When Belle was home, she spent every single second of her day with her son, she even usually placed his crib by the door of the bathroom when she needed to take a bath. He was the most precious thing she had and she always feared leaving him alone, even for a short amount of time.

She served herself with more food after she was done with what she had put on her plate and watched Neal excuse himself after he finished his own meal, making his way upstairs to his bedroom. Then, there was only Gold and her left on the table and he was staring openly at her as Belle devoured the food as if it was the last time she was going to eat in really long.

“Do you like the meal, Ms. French?”

“It is delicious,” Belle said, pulling her fork down. “I’m sorry if I look desperate. I haven’t been eating very well lately.”

“It’s alright, I’m glad now you can have all the food you need,” he smiled softly, brown eyes scanning her face. “May I ask you something?”

She swallowed hard, thinking it might be the moment she was fearing and he would ask what he really want and Belle was terrified that she would in fact accept anything he wanted from her as long as she could keep living in that beautiful house, eating properly and offering her son a comfortable life.

“Sure.”

Mr. Gold seemed to hesitate, he brought his hands together over the table, rubbing at the moonstone ring he wore as he took his time to speak again.

“Will you marry me, Belle?”

Her mouth fell open at the proposal. She was expecting anything at this point, but not this. Belle imagined that at some point he would ask her to sleep with him, or maybe to pay him some favours, however marrying the man was completely out of thought for her. He had been married before, that she had always known, but people around town used to whisper about how he murdered Neal’s mother in cold blood after he caught her cheating on him, but nobody had any proof that had really happened, otherwise he would be in jail by now. _Or not_ , a little voice in her head whispered, _you know he is a lawyer too._

Belle shook her head for herself, her gaze still fixed in the man who had just asked her to become his wife. Maybe it was why he bought all those things for Gideon. Maybe he had intentions to marry her ever since she walked inside his shop. And maybe she wouldn’t end up in a grave just like his ex-wife.

A chill passed through her spine.

“Is it a condition for me to stay here?” Belle asked, her voice low and fearful.

“No, it is a choice,” Gold answered. “You can marry me and have a whole future guaranteed or you can continue working to make your own life.”

The brunette couldn’t help but release a relieved breath.

“Then, I’m afraid I have to decline. We barely know each other. I don’t even know your first name.”

Gold nodded softly as if he had already been expecting this answer, but given his reputation around town, he should no that no girl would come willing to his arms, not even with all the money he had. He could own half of the properties in Storybrooke, but people’s fear of him was real and it wouldn’t be easy to change it, so he couldn’t believe Belle would just accept the proposal like that.

She stood up, grabbing the baby monitor and giving it a quick look to make sure Gideon was still deep asleep inside his crib, before she looked back at Gold, who was now staring at the leftovers.

“Thank you for the dinner, Mr. Gold. And for the job.”

He nodded, wordlessly and Belle was already half-way to the door when she heard his voice speaking again.

“It’s Robert,” he said. “My first name is Robert.”

A tiny smile appeared in her lips, but as Belle didn’t know how to interpret this, she let it fade quickly, going back to her room where she felt safer, but no less worried about the future or confused about what exactly Mr. Gold wanted from her.

* * *

 

He woke up to the sound of a baby crying. Well, not exactly crying but screaming, the sound came loud to his room, even though it was in the opposite end of the hallway from where Belle was staying. It was painful sobs that made his heart clench on his chest and for some long minutes, he stayed in bed, hoping the crying would stop soon, but the baby kept screaming, his wailings seeming to become louder at each second.

After twenty minutes of this, he finally gave up and reached for his cane, throwing the duvet aside as he slipped off the bed and opened the door to find Neal was already on the hallway, looking at Belle’s door with tired eyes. When he saw his father, the boy sighed in relive.

“It looks like he is in pain.”

“Aye, I’m going to check on this, go back to bed,” Robert instructed him and Neal nodded, going back to his bedroom and shutting the door behind him.

He walked to the end of the hallway, slightly irritated for being awake in the middle of the night, but also a little bit concerned for the child, because his sobs were really heart-breaking. Gold knocked briefly on Belle’s door before pushing it open to find her wandering around the room with the baby in her arms, fat tears streaming down her cheeks as she tried to mumble a lullaby.

“Mr. Gold,” she jumped startled at the sight of him. “I’m so sorry we woke you.”

“That’s not a problem,” he said. “What is happening here, dearie?”

“I don’t know,” Belle confessed with despair clear in her shaky voice. “He woke up crying this way and he won’t stop. I tried everything, but he doesn’t even want to be nursed. It could be teething or colic or God helps me, some illness…”

Gold shook his head and slid to the armchair on the corner of her room, stretching out a hand into her direction.

“Give him to me.”

“What?” She asked, blinking her tears away and looking down at the screaming baby. “Why?”

He knew she had no reason to trust him with anything, even more with her son, but Gold was already feeling desperate too, because the baby’s wailings were really distressful and he wanted to do something to help. He felt like he should do, for some reason and he hated to see Belle crying, even though she had no much value to him.

“Because I have been a father before and I might know a trick or two.”

Giving up, Belle snorted, handing Gideon to him and allowing Gold to lay the baby on his lap, massaging his tiny belly and slowly making his cries fade. Gideon was only sniffling when Robert picked him up, nestling the little boy against his chest and watching as he started to suck his own thumb eagerly as his eyelids closed and his breath steadied.

“You did it,” Belle murmured, astonished. “You make him stop.”

Grabbing his cane, Gold pulled himself back to his feet and walked to the crib, gently depositing the baby inside before he turned around.

“As I said,” he replied in a tone that was too cold for how warm he felt inside in that moment. “I know a trick or two.”

“Thank you,” the brunette whispered back.

But he didn’t say anything in return, only made his way back to his room with some last insistent noises from his cane tapping the floor, echoing through the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have an old Beauty and the Beast book in which the beast asks Belle every night if she wants to marry him and I thought it would do just right for this story. Also, in this fic Rumple doesn't live at the salmon house, but at the sorcerer's mansion.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belle spends the day with Tilly.  
> Gold insists in his proposal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I happened to write this chapter during a black-out and I'm not even sorry. At least my phone was charger and lasted until energy was back. I want to say things will change a lot within the next chapters when Emma arrives town and someone from Belle's past comes back.

Belle woke up feeling particularly happy. After Gold soothe him, Gideon hadn't cried in that painful way anymore, he woke another couple of times to be fed, but went straight back to sleep, which was a relief for her. She made a mental note to learn how to massage the baby's tummy the way the landlord did, so she wouldn't bother him anymore as she changed Gideon before taking him downstairs.

The list Mr. Gold had given her had different duties for each day of the week and today she must dust all the house and sweep the floors. It wouldn't be much of a thing if the house wasn't so big, but she needed to do it if she wanted to guarantee her son's well-being, so she went to the kitchen bringing along the things she had brought from her old apartment, preparing Gideon a bottle of formula, as she had been alternating between breastfeeding him during the night and using the bottle during the day. Gideon never complained, as long as he got some kind of milk, he was happy.

The baby boy had his head laid on his mother's shoulder as she wandered around the kitchen, opening the cabinets to see what they got as she held the bottle firmly in his mouth, hearing him suck eagerly, when somebody else entered the kitchen, going straight to the kitchen and pouring a glass of orange juice.

"Good morning, Ms. French!"

"Good morning, Neal. Would you like me to prepare something special for your breakfast?"

"Oh, no," the boy shook his head, "I'll pick some muffins at Granny's on my way to school."

Gideon pulled his mouth way from the bottle, stretching himself into the direction of Neal's glass of juice, the new vibrant colour in such a dark kitchen, immediately calling his attention. Belle held him back, offering him the milk again, but the baby didn't seem willing to collaborate.

"Alright then," Belle nodded to Neal, pulling Gideon's bottle away. "But before you go, could you tell me what your father eats in the morning? The list he gave me said I should make breakfast, but exactly nothing else."

"Coffee would be nice and toasts," Neal replied. "He usually eats them with strawberry jam."

"That's really helpful, thank you."

"You're welcome. I see you later."

He took his backpack, making his way to the door and Belle turned around aiming the coffee machine and swinging Gideon on her arms so he would be distracted enough not to try grabbing anything while she worked.

"Let's make breakfast, huh?"

Opening the cabinets again, Belle found the coffee and the bread, then she settled things on the breakfast table, opening the bowl of jam and putting a great amount of it above the two toasts she prepared, before she found a mug and started to pour some coffee in it, all while singing to Gideon. Gold was pretty amused by the scene when he entered the kitchen, watching her place the mug in front of his plate with a huge smile.

"Are you used to do things with just one hand?"

Belle jumped in place and he was glad she had already pulled the coffee on the table, otherwise she would have spilled on the drink in herself and the child.

"Mr. Gold, you scared me! I... I have nowhere to put Gideon, he would roll and fall from any surface."

"The things I've ordered shall arrive this afternoon," he said as he took a seat, "so you won't have this problem for too long."

As he tasted her breakfast, Belle allowed a new shy smile to pass through her lips as she peppered some kisses to the top of her baby's head, cradling him close.

"I don't I've thanked you properly for what you did last night," she started, a little bit unsure if she was being annoying or not.

"There is no need to."

She nodded and went back to her chores, only walking to where Mr. Gold was again, when she saw that he had finished eating and picked the dishes.

"I work until five," he told her, "and I always make dinner myself, so don't worry about it."

"Alright."

He stood up with the help of his cane and then left for work as she washed the dishes before preparing a toast for herself. She had lots to do and she should be ready to start the day. Belle went to the backyard, taking a look at the dying roses she should take care of in the next day as listed. She had never been great at gardening like her father was, but Mr. Gold was even worse. The girl was about to go back inside to start her work when a small voice, coming from the bushes made her look back.

"Miss Belle!"

"Tilly?" She inquired, seeing the blonde appear out of nowhere, wearing the same crumpled uniform she never seemed to take off. "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't want to go to school today and I've hear you were working for Mr. Gold. Can I help?"

Furrowing, Belle took a deeper breath. Tilly's hair was a mess, her knees were bruised and the sleeves of her jacket were dirty. The poor girl had anyone to care for her and she couldn't blame her from running away from the orphanage all the time as she heard the place had bad living conditions.

"Have you eaten today?"

"Not yet," Tilly murmured.

Offering her a hand Belle dragged her inside, placed her on a chair and made a jam sandwich for her.

"Here, you eat first and then you can help me dusting some things. But you need to go before Mr. Gold comes back and you also need to promise me that tomorrow you'll go to school."

"I promise," Tilly smiled.

Then, she cleaned the kitchen and found the dusters, gave one to Tilly and made a fort around Gideon on the sofa so he wouldn't fall while she started to work on the furniture of the living room. Thankfully, even before lunch time there was a knock on the door and the things Mr. Gold had brought for her were delivered. She quickly opened the bouncer and put Gideon inside of it and he seemed to like punching the little mobiles, which gave her sometime to sweep the floor down there before she moved to the first floor where she had some bad time trying to fix the crib.

Belle was glad Tilly was there because even though she wasn't much of a help with the cleaning she kept coming to where Gideon was and distracting him with her infinity babbling. Apparently, the girl lacked a doll, because she was having a real fun making that baby giggle. It took long hours for her to manage to put the crib in place, but she finally did, Belle was really proud of herself, although it also meant she spent precious time she should have used to clean, doing it.

Taking the trash away, Belle was ready to get the duster again, when she heard Gideon's wails, and readily warmed a bottle of formula before going upstairs to find a wide-eyed Tilly bouncing into her direction.

"Miss Belle, the baby is crying,"

"I think he is hungry," Belle said offering her the bottle. "Would you like to help me feeding him?"

"Yeah," Tilly answered, picking and going to seat beside the bouncer, leading the bottle to the baby's mouth.

* * *

 

It was almost four when Belle finished her work, she still had to bath Gideon and organize a few of her own things, but if could be done later, so she decided to put the new stroller to use and grabbed Tilly's hand firmly in hers as they left Mr. Gold's mansion behind.

"We have some time left, so I will take you back to the orphanage."

"Please no," Tilly protested, pulling away from her, "I don't want to."

"Tilly I would really like to allow you to spend the night here, but the place is not mine and if Mr. Gold sees you, I'll be fired again and that's not nice."

The little girl looked down, blue eyes shining with unshed tears as she continued to walk beside Belle. They could hear Gideon squeezing his Teddy Bear as making it produce some noises - as the thing apparently had a bell inside it - on the stroller. He was very agitated lately and Belle wondered if she should take him to see Doctor Whale after all.

"I don't like it there," Tilly said, miserably. "They are trying to give me pills to see if I stop being so crazy. They think I daydream too much."

"Hallucinations?" Belle inquired.

Her small shoulders shrunk. If one thing, Belle hated to see children looking so vulnerable and afraid. And that little girl had a lot of potential, so it was twice horrible to know her light was being eclipsed.

"That's what they say," Tilly told her. "I shouldn't have said anything about the Mad Hatter or the Queen's mirror."

"What?"

"My teacher, Mary Margaret gave Henry a book with everybody's story in it," she explained. "Sometimes I think I can see through this fog reality and everything becomes clear. Regina Mills is the Evil Queen, you know."

Belle's eyebrows narrowed at the information. She would have never taken Tilly by a crazy girl as apparently the others did, but she also thought that any mental disorders she might have should be treated, for her own sake. But pills seemed to be way too much for a child who only daydreamed with fairy tales because life had denied her a lot.

"Oh, Tilly I do think this is amusing, but if you don't stop believing in fairy tales, then you'll be medicated and that's not good for you."

"Archie says the same, but none of you understand me," the little girl wiped away some tears and ran down the street.

"Tilly!"

Looking down at the stroller, Belle sighed knowing she wouldn't be fast when she had to push the thing and deciding that maybe it wasn't her best option.

"The girl is swift bunny, you won't get her," David Nolan said, walking towards her.

She could see his truck parked on the street near where she was and it only served to make Belle surer that he wouldn't be talking to her if the wasn't there. He worked on the pet shop, the same place Gaston did and her reputation around there should be worse than anywhere in town.

"Yeah, apparently not."

"She stole a kitten from us, so if you see the little demon again, try to recover it for me, will you?"

"Sure," Belle tried to smile, but he entered the truck and drove away without another word, leaving her to murmur: "A thanking would be very much appreciated."

* * *

 

**_Enchanted Forest, years ago._ **

Bae had never expected a maid last so long in their household. They always ended-up running or dead - most likely dead - before they spent a full moon there, but Belle, the princess his father had dealt for, was living in the Dark Castle for a long time now and Bae was glad she because he really liked her. He still wondered why Papa hadn't freed himself from her yet, though, but he thought maybe it had something to do with the things the Blue Fairy told him the night Bae attempted to run away himself.

He had been disappointed with his father's dark behaviour and after the last maid was killed, he packed a few things and rushed out of the castle, hiding near the lake. Then the fairy appeared and told him to go back home, because there was still hope for his father, as someday a girl should fall in love with him and chase all his darkness away. Happy and feeling hopeful, Bae went back to the castle and told it all to his father.

Rumplestiltskin seemed sceptical about it all at first, but then after a while, Bae thought he started to consider the fairy's words. Not long after that, he brought Belle to be their new maid. She cleaned all day, but every evening, Papa invited her to have dinner with them - which he had never done before with any of the girls who served them - and he stayed there, eating very slowly and casting glances at her, as she did the same. The two of them always stayed by the table, finishing their meals for a long time after Bae went to his chambers and he had always felt curious about what might be happening between them, so he started to spy whenever they were alone.

In the first time he did it, right after dinner, he heard Papa asking Belle to marry him and the lass gently denying it. He had no idea of what his father was planning by trying to get her hand, but he watched as Belle's feelings for him begin to change and she started to be more spontaneous around him, touchier, the smiles she shared with the imp, very different from the ones she shared with Bae. Then he saw a quite odd scene by the covered mirror in the dining hall, the two of them breathing hard, bodies pressed close together as they talked. Belle shifted away from him when she saw Bae and Papa went straight back to his spinning wheel without a word.

Deep down, Bae hoped Belle could be the one the Blue Fairy talked about and that somehow, she would break his Papa's curse. And things kept changing out of his sight apparently, because one day, at breakfast, Rumplestiltskin announced he was to wed the maid. A beautiful ceremony followed it, Belle was dressed in a long-sleeved white gown with embroidery pink and orange butterflies adorning it. She looked stunning and Papa was very happy. Thankfully that happiness would last for a few years until all of them were separated by the curse.

* * *

 

When Gold entered his house that evening a silence was installed there, which was weird, because even when only Neal was to be found there, he would hear music or at least voices coming from the TV when he arrived, however today, there was any of this. He walked very slowly through the corridors, his cane tipping on the crack floors, which startled his son, who was sat on the cream and red chaise near the fireplace.

"Papa, don't make any noise, the baby is sleeping!"

Gold arched an eyebrow at him and peeked a look to see that the baby bouncer had been settled on the coffee table near to the brown leather couch were Belle was sat with a book on her hands. He looked between her and the child sleeping peacefully inside there, a tiny blue blanket pulled above him.

"Ah, I see," Gold murmured, not wanting to awake the little baby boy. "Ms. French, do you mind taking him upstairs?"

Belle jumped in place as if someone had thrown a bucket of cold water on her. She shrunk, closing the book and immediately collecting the baby, cradling him close to her chest with those blue eyes wide open, scared as a deer.

"No, I'm sorry for bothering you."

"You did not bother me, I just think the child will be more comfortable sleeping on his crib and it is almost dinner time," he explained, not quite understanding why she always seemed so afraid of everything and everyone. Belle nodded quickly, turning around to the staircase when the sound of his voice stopped her. "And, Ms. French, your work here is pretty satisfying."

"Thank you, Mr. Gold," she almost smiled.

He exchanged a glance with Neal, who only shrugged before turning his attention back to his cell-phone. Gold never thought Belle French could act in such an insecure way, but he didn't know much about her, other than what he heard around town. Everybody seemed pretty inclined to talk bad things about each other and the young librarian wasn't spared. A guy who had worked at the pet shop - Gaston, he thought was his name - had gotten her pregnant and left her. The florist, Belle's father had thrown her out of their house and she rented that horrible flat.

She was damaged, he realised, maybe she was afraid of every man now that all the ones in her life had turned their backs on her and he felt like he should do something to help. He didn't know why he cared so much about Belle, but he hated to see her so vulnerable and thought her child deserved to have a mother that had her mind working perfectly. He thought maybe she should go see Archie, but he also thought she would feel offended if he offered himself to pay her some therapy sections, so he shut his mouth and prepared the dinner.

That night, he asked her the same thing he had yesterday and, again, she said she couldn't marry him. But Belle didn't run away immediately, actually she looked pretty uncomfortable, but unwilling to leave, until the wails started to come from the monitor she had been carrying around and she quickly stood up, showing it to him as if she need to give him an explanation about why she was leaving.

"The baby... Is crying."

"I know, go tend him. I'll wash the dishes."

He watched as she worried at her lip for a brief second, swinging on her heels before she rushed out of the room. Gold shook his head at the attitude, then took all the plates to the kitchen and did as he said, washing it all before going back to the living room, where he finally took of his suit jacket and tie and waistcoat, which were a bit damp from the water splashing from the sink. He didn't notice she had come back until he turned around to reach for the glassware where a bottle of scotch was placed. Belle was leaning against the doorstep, looking down at her own hands.

"This is what you expected when you asked me to move in? Marry me?"

"Not exactly, you looked desperate when you came to me and I know how it is to fear for your child," Gold answered. "But I've been a lonely man since Neal's mother died and as I said, I could provide for you and your son forever if you agreed to be my wife."

He was taking about as if he was on a infomercial, presenting the perks of buying a product, but he really wanted Belle to see that she had options. He may be the town's most feared man, but if she was his wife, she would be untouchable as he would protect her from everything.

"I can't..." Belle murmured. "I need to prove it to myself that I can do this, I can take care of my son and earn all money I get with hard work. You're very sweet, Mr. Gold, but my answer will remain the same for now."

"For now?" He asked, a flicker of hope on his voice.

Belle showed him a shy smile.

"The others may think of you as a heartless monster, but I don't. You're actually nice."

He knew he was probably staring at her like a fool, but Gold couldn't help himself. Nobody apart from Neal had ever been this kind to him which made him decide that he would do anything at his reach to get that girl to marry him.


End file.
